What happens in a rear-end crash?

I've been reading about the impact and potential danger in switching your child to a forward facing car seat. About how in a front end car crash and child in a forward facing seat can become injured more so than if they were in a rear facing carseat. So I'm left with a question...what happens if you are in a rear-end car crash and your child is in a rear facing car seat? I was at a stop sign once and was hit so hard from behind that I flew threw the intersection and hit another car so hard that it popped my airbag. I'm just curious...

that being said...Brooklinn is still rear-facing...

I've been reading about the impact and potential danger in switching your child to a forward facing car seat. About how in a front end car crash and child in a forward facing seat can become injured more so than if they were in a rear facing carseat. So I'm left with a question...what happens if you are in a rear-end car crash and your child is in a rear facing car seat? I was at a stop sign once and was hit so hard from behind that I flew threw the intersection and hit another car so hard that it popped my airbag. I'm just curious...

The car seat cradles the baby towards the seat back... like when you cup your hand to it. Does that make sense? But anyways rear facing is still best and they are working on making it law in nc til they are 2.

The car seat cradles the baby towards the seat back... like when you cup your hand to it. Does that make sense? But anyways rear facing is still best and they are working on making it law in nc til they are 2.

That's a great question. I don't know for sure, but I would guess that the baby would be protected in the same way. The body tends to keep going (or trying to go) in the same direction as it was previously. So, if your kid is rear facing, and you get hit from behind, your car will continue to go forward and LO's body will also want to continue that forward movement. But since the car seat is rear facing, he/she will be protected by the car seat, similar to what pp said about the car seat cradling the baby.

Just a guess though! I'm sure there's something out there online about it!

That's a great question. I don't know for sure, but I would guess that the baby would be protected in the same way. The body tends to keep going (or trying to go) in the same direction as it was previously. So, if your kid is rear facing, and you get hit from behind, your car will continue to go forward and LO's body will also want to continue that forward movement. But since the car seat is rear facing, he/she will be protected by the car seat, similar to what pp said about the car seat cradling the baby.

Just a guess though! I'm sure there's something out there online about it!

It's about statistics. The crash that you were in that sent you flying through an intersection is far less likely to happen than a front-end collision. It's also about the fact that *most* car accidents that will hit you from the rear are at far lower speeds. You were really in a long-shot of an accident! Front-end collisions are typically at much higher speeds, and are far more frequent!

It's about statistics. The crash that you were in that sent you flying through an intersection is far less likely to happen than a front-end collision. It's also about the fact that *most* car accidents that will hit you from the rear are at far lower speeds. You were really in a long-shot of an accident! Front-end collisions are typically at much higher speeds, and are far more frequent!

My sister was actually in the same type of accident you were (hit from behind while stopped and was pushed into oncoming traffic during 1 of the accidents) twice in less than a year. Needless to say she is also not a fan of being at a stoplight. Also the only accident I've been in I was hit from the back passenger side and both vehicles were moving (the guy didn't stop at his stop sign and I was almost completly through the intersection). So don't worry you're not the only person that seems to be involved in odd ball crashes.

My sister was actually in the same type of accident you were (hit from behind while stopped and was pushed into oncoming traffic during 1 of the accidents) twice in less than a year. Needless to say she is also not a fan of being at a stoplight. Also the only accident I've been in I was hit from the back passenger side and both vehicles were moving (the guy didn't stop at his stop sign and I was almost completly through the intersection). So don't worry you're not the only person that seems to be involved in odd ball crashes.

Think about it like this: Force = mass x acceleration (speed in this case)

Â :if two cars are traveling in the same direction, the difference in speed is what causes the force in the crash. Car A going 25 mph is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 10 mph.

:if one car is stationary then the force is calculated using the spped of the second car.Â Â Car A is stopped and is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 35 mph.

:if two cars are traveling in opposite directions, the sum in speed is what causes the force in the crash. Car A going 25 mph is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 60 mph.

Rear end collisions are far more common than front offset collisions though much less deadly.

The reason it is suggested you keep toddlers rear facing is in the event of a rear end collision (most common) the force the child experiences is taken mainly by the car seat. the child's back is forced into the seat back much like a roller coaster ride. If the child is forward facing the force to stop the child is on the much smaller area of the harness straps. Pressure the body experiences is the force of the crash divided by the area used to stop the movement. Smaller area used to stop the child the more pressure is exerted on the body and more pressure equals more trauma to the body.

Please pardon the length. I'm a engineer and love explaining this type of stuff.Â Â Â

Think about it like this: Force = mass x acceleration (speed in this case)

Â :if two cars are traveling in the same direction, the difference in speed is what causes the force in the crash. Car A going 25 mph is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 10 mph.

:if one car is stationary then the force is calculated using the spped of the second car.Â Â Car A is stopped and is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 35 mph.

:if two cars are traveling in opposite directions, the sum in speed is what causes the force in the crash. Car A going 25 mph is hit by car b going 35 mph. The force is calculated using 60 mph.

Rear end collisions are far more common than front offset collisions though much less deadly.

The reason it is suggested you keep toddlers rear facing is in the event of a rear end collision (most common) the force the child experiences is taken mainly by the car seat. the child's back is forced into the seat back much like a roller coaster ride. If the child is forward facing the force to stop the child is on the much smaller area of the harness straps. Pressure the body experiences is the force of the crash divided by the area used to stop the movement. Smaller area used to stop the child the more pressure is exerted on the body and more pressure equals more trauma to the body.

Please pardon the length. I'm a engineer and love explaining this type of stuff.Â Â Â

WOW!!!! That was too much thinking for me!!! I completely understand what you are saying but if I may play devils advocate for a moment!!?? If I am sitting in the front seat, hit from behind my head will go backwards as the car moves forward....so if a child is in a rear-facing seat, we are hit from behind wouldn't their head snap toward the back of the car and if hit from the front it would go towards the front...right? So if I was sitting still at a light and a car slammed into me from behind going 60MPH, my child is in a rear-facing seat...couldn't there possibly be the same outcome as a child sitting in a forward facing seat that is hit from the front and each car is going 30MPH?

Did that even make sense?

WOW!!!! That was too much thinking for me!!! I completely understand what you are saying but if I may play devils advocate for a moment!!?? If I am sitting in the front seat, hit from behind my head will go backwards as the car moves forward....so if a child is in a rear-facing seat, we are hit from behind wouldn't their head snap toward the back of the car and if hit from the front it would go towards the front...right? So if I was sitting still at a light and a car slammed into me from behind going 60MPH, my child is in a rear-facing seat...couldn't there possibly be the same outcome as a child sitting in a forward facing seat that is hit from the front and each car is going 30MPH?

What you are saying makes total sense. But I have to say, if you look up the types and frequencies of accidents, rear facing is still FAR safer. You were involved in that one in a million accident, so you'd be banking on it happening again for you to want to forward face your child.

The chance of getting hit from behind giong 60mph while you are at a dead stop is so, so low. But you could easily get rammed at the same speed from the front, while you are doing the same speed, so you would get a total force of 120mph.

What you are saying makes total sense. But I have to say, if you look up the types and frequencies of accidents, rear facing is still FAR safer. You were involved in that one in a million accident, so you'd be banking on it happening again for you to want to forward face your child.

The chance of getting hit from behind giong 60mph while you are at a dead stop is so, so low. But you could easily get rammed at the same speed from the front, while you are doing the same speed, so you would get a total force of 120mph.

On the move! Queen of the pool! Cake Monster! Mommy and her 1 year old girl!

From:
Babygirl12018

To: andthentherewas3

Posted: Jul-29 01:06 PM (11 of 21)

The car seat cradles the baby. But I didn't see any videos on rear end wrecks. I will look more on You Tube and see if they have a video on rear end crashes. But keeping baby facing backwards is safer.

christy

The car seat cradles the baby. But I didn't see any videos on rear end wrecks. I will look more on You Tube and see if they have a video on rear end crashes. But keeping baby facing backwards is safer.

Just wanted to make sure that everyone saw my **disclaimer** at the end of my original message!!!! Brooklinn is still rear facing and will remain that way until I feel she is ready to be forward facing!!! I just couldn't sleep the other day and for some reason this question popped into my head!!

Just wanted to make sure that everyone saw my **disclaimer** at the end of my original message!!!! Brooklinn is still rear facing and will remain that way until I feel she is ready to be forward facing!!! I just couldn't sleep the other day and for some reason this question popped into my head!!

The thing is your head only appears to snap back. What really happens is the car begins to move and you remain stationary until a part of the car pushes you. "An object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force. And conversely, an object will remain in motion until acted upon by an outside force."Â

So what happens is your car is hit. The force moves the car forward violently. As the car moves your body, cradled in the seat, is moved forward by the motion of the seat. Your head is not cradled into the headrest usually so it remains still until the neck pulls it forward or it hits the headreast and is pushed forward.Â

When the car comes to a rest and or rolls back your body and head will go forward forcefully because your body is moving forward at this new rate. However, when the seatbelt stops you your limbs and head still continue to move forward until the force necessary to stop them is transfered to stop them.Â

The far greater pressure is the one used to stop you since you have an entire seat pushing you forward and only two straps to stop you. With a rear facing seat the two straps push the child but the entire seat stops the child.

Here are a couple of good videos showing the two types of car seat placement in a rear end collision..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA&NR=1Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62Ea8Fs4ngÂ

The thing is your head only appears to snap back. What really happens is the car begins to move and you remain stationary until a part of the car pushes you. "An object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon by an outside force. And conversely, an object will remain in motion until acted upon by an outside force."Â

So what happens is your car is hit. The force moves the car forward violently. As the car moves your body, cradled in the seat, is moved forward by the motion of the seat. Your head is not cradled into the headrest usually so it remains still until the neck pulls it forward or it hits the headreast and is pushed forward.Â

When the car comes to a rest and or rolls back your body and head will go forward forcefully because your body is moving forward at this new rate. However, when the seatbelt stops you your limbs and head still continue to move forward until the force necessary to stop them is transfered to stop them.Â

The far greater pressure is the one used to stop you since you have an entire seat pushing you forward and only two straps to stop you. With a rear facing seat the two straps push the child but the entire seat stops the child.

Here are a couple of good videos showing the two types of car seat placement in a rear end collision..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA&NR=1Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62Ea8Fs4ngÂ

I find this conversation fascinating... In Australia babies get to sit in forward facing carseats at 8kg (16.2 lbs) and/or at six months old. I doubt I could find a rearward facing carseat that Gerhard would fit into....Interesting....

I find this conversation fascinating... In Australia babies get to sit in forward facing carseats at 8kg (16.2 lbs) and/or at six months old. I doubt I could find a rearward facing carseat that Gerhard would fit into....Interesting....

Wow. I'm curious in this too. I'm beginning to feel a little uneasy now though, Vincent doesn't fit rear facing anymore and has been sitting forward since his birthday on July 1st. I was hoping to keep him rear facing until he was two but his legs are all scrunched up, he kicks the seat, and whines if he's rear facing; he's just so uncomfortable. Should I suck it up and turn him back around for another few months? I'm a careful driver, but I'm not the only one on the road...

Wow. I'm curious in this too. I'm beginning to feel a little uneasy now though, Vincent doesn't fit rear facing anymore and has been sitting forward since his birthday on July 1st. I was hoping to keep him rear facing until he was two but his legs are all scrunched up, he kicks the seat, and whines if he's rear facing; he's just so uncomfortable. Should I suck it up and turn him back around for another few months? I'm a careful driver, but I'm not the only one on the road...

Ok, I know this is old news but I'm dragging it back up again, lol. We started daycare this week and Anna is now riding with me on my 45 minute commute (each-way) to and from work. She is not happy sitting in the carseat and it's tempting to turn her forward facing even though I don't think she would be any happier.

This temptation is what led me to re-read this post! I also did some googling and wanted to share a good website that I came across that talks about just this issue. It also discusses the issue of their legs being scrunched up.

Ok, I know this is old news but I'm dragging it back up again, lol. We started daycare this week and Anna is now riding with me on my 45 minute commute (each-way) to and from work. She is not happy sitting in the carseat and it's tempting to turn her forward facing even though I don't think she would be any happier.

This temptation is what led me to re-read this post! I also did some googling and wanted to share a good website that I came across that talks about just this issue. It also discusses the issue of their legs being scrunched up.

Frontal and side impacts are the most
common type of crashes. They account for 96% of all crashes. They are
also the most deadly type of crashes (especially side impacts) and
rear-facing children have MUCH more protection in both types of crashes
than forward-facing. In the 4% of rear impact crashes that a rear-facing
child would be in, they have at least the same amount of protection that
a FF child would have in a frontal impact, with the added benefit of
less crash energy being transferred to them, and the fact that the rear
impact is usually not as severe.

The forces in a rear impact crash are much different from the forces in
a frontal impact crash. In a frontal impact, the forces are much greater
because the vehicles are usually traveling in opposite directions.
Experts suggest that a frontal crash is the same as hitting a concrete
barrier Ã¯Â¿Â½ the vehicle and all occupants come to a dead stop within less
than 1 second.

When you are struck in a rear impact, the vehicles involved are
traveling in the same direction, and the vehicle that is hit in the back
has room to move forward. The crash force on the occupants is much less
than in a frontal impact. The movement of the impacted vehicle, in
addition to the crush zone, absorbs a lot of the crash energy, so it is
not transferred to the child. Additionally, the majority of rear impacts
are at low speeds.

In short, if your child is rear-facing, he has optimal protection in the
types of crashes you are most likely to be in. If he is forward-facing,
he may have optimal protection in a rear-end crash, but statistically,
that is the least likely to happen and he is 60% more likely to be
injured or killed in the types of crashes (frontal, side impact) you are
most likely to be in.

Frontal and side impacts are the most
common type of crashes. They account for 96% of all crashes. They are
also the most deadly type of crashes (especially side impacts) and
rear-facing children have MUCH more protection in both types of crashes
than forward-facing. In the 4% of rear impact crashes that a rear-facing
child would be in, they have at least the same amount of protection that
a FF child would have in a frontal impact, with the added benefit of
less crash energy being transferred to them, and the fact that the rear
impact is usually not as severe.

The forces in a rear impact crash are much different from the forces in
a frontal impact crash. In a frontal impact, the forces are much greater
because the vehicles are usually traveling in opposite directions.
Experts suggest that a frontal crash is the same as hitting a concrete
barrier Ã¯Â¿Â½ the vehicle and all occupants come to a dead stop within less
than 1 second.

When you are struck in a rear impact, the vehicles involved are
traveling in the same direction, and the vehicle that is hit in the back
has room to move forward. The crash force on the occupants is much less
than in a frontal impact. The movement of the impacted vehicle, in
addition to the crush zone, absorbs a lot of the crash energy, so it is
not transferred to the child. Additionally, the majority of rear impacts
are at low speeds.

In short, if your child is rear-facing, he has optimal protection in the
types of crashes you are most likely to be in. If he is forward-facing,
he may have optimal protection in a rear-end crash, but statistically,
that is the least likely to happen and he is 60% more likely to be
injured or killed in the types of crashes (frontal, side impact) you are
most likely to be in.

Here I am am pushing for Tyler to gain weight - he's still only just over 19lbs and I was so excited to get him to 20lbs to turn him around. While waiting at the health department for WIC I watched a video about the history of car seats and impacts.

It's safe to say Tyler will be sitting backwards until he's 30 lbs...the new recommended weight.

Here I am am pushing for Tyler to gain weight - he's still only just over 19lbs and I was so excited to get him to 20lbs to turn him around. While waiting at the health department for WIC I watched a video about the history of car seats and impacts.

It's safe to say Tyler will be sitting backwards until he's 30 lbs...the new recommended weight.

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